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Rockingham County, North Carolina
Rockingham County is a county located in the U.S. state of North Carolina. As of 2010, the population was 93,643 . Its county seat is Wentworth . History for Searcy & Moore gun factory, Hogans Creek, Rockingham County]] The county was formed in 1785 from Guilford County. It was named for Charles Watson-Wentworth, 2nd Marquess of Rockingham, British Prime Minister from 1765 to 1766 and again in 1782. The county served as the location for the Searcy & Moore gun factory, which was located at Hogans Creek, a small village located some 20 miles northwest of Greensboro. The firm supplied weapons – dubbed "N.C. Rifles" – to the Confederate States of America forces during the Civil War. Owned by Alexander M. Searcy and Dr. J. S. Moore, the manufactory assembled some 100 rifles for the Rebel forces in 1862–1863. Law and government Rockingham County is a member of the regional Piedmont Triad Council of Governments. In 2011, the new Rockingham County Justice Center was opened . The $47 million facility replaced a more than century old courthouse in Rockingham County and includes courthouse, jail, and sheriff's office. The new facility is the first judicial center in the state of North Carolina seeking certification from the U.S. Green Building Council’s LEED Green Building Rating System and is estimated to save over $5 million over a 40 year period . The three-story building will be able to accommodate 359 employees and 300 inmates. Geography According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 572 square miles (1,482 km²), of which, 566 square miles (1,467 km²) of it is land and 6 square miles (15 km²) of it (1.03%) is water. The Dan River and Haw River drain the county. Rockingham County has a municipal airport eight miles (13 km) northwest of Reidsville called Shiloh Airport, which has a paved runway, a fixed base operation, and hangar space. Townships The county is divided into several communities: Huntsville, Eden, Madison, Mayodan, Stoneville, Shiloh, Bethany, Reidsville, Ruffin, Monroeton, and Wentworth. Adjacent counties *Pittsylvania County, Virginia - northeast *Caswell County, North Carolina - east *Alamance County, North Carolina - southeast *Guilford County, North Carolina - south *Forsyth County, North Carolina - southwest *Stokes County, North Carolina - west *Henry County, Virginia - northwest Demographics As of the census of 2000, there were 91,928 people, 36,989 households, and 26,188 families residing in the county. The population density was 162 people per square mile (63/km²). There were 40,208 housing units at an average density of 71 per square mile (27/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 77.33% White, 19.57% Black or African American, 0.27% Native American, 0.28% Asian, 0.04% Pacific Islander, 1.69% from other races, and 0.83% from two or more races. 3.07% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. There were 36,989 households out of which 30.10% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 53.60% were married couples living together, 12.80% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.20% were non-families. 25.70% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.80% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.45 and the average family size was 2.93. In the county the population was spread out with 23.40% under the age of 18, 7.60% from 18 to 24, 29.40% from 25 to 44, 24.80% from 45 to 64, and 14.80% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 93.30 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 89.80 males. The median income for a household in the county was $33,784, and the median income for a family was $40,821. Males had a median income of $30,479 versus $22,437 for females. The per capita income for the county was $17,120. About 10.20% of families and 12.80% of the population were below the poverty line, including 16.30% of those under age 18 and 15.50% of those age 65 or over. Transportation Airports Rockingham County NC Shiloh Airport . Federal Aviation Administration. Effective 11 February 2010. is a public-use airport owned by Rockingham County. It is located in the town of Stoneville, eight nautical miles (15 km) northwest of the central business district of the city of Reidsville. Attractions Attractions in Rockingham County include the state parks of the Dan and Mayo rivers, near Madison; the historic downtown areas of Leaksville, Draper and Spray in Eden; the Chinqua-Penn Plantation in Reidsville; and the historic Penn House, located in Reidsville. One of the most famous attractions of the Reidsville area is Lake Reidsville. Various historic shops are found in the county, as well. Education All public schools in Rockingham County are a part of Rockingham County Schools. The area includes government elementary, middle, and high schools including 25 different schools which include: The elementary are Bethany School, Moss Street, Central, Leaksville-Spray, Dillard, Monroeton School, Douglass, Draper, South End School, Lawsonville Avenue, Stoneville, Lincoln, Wentworth, Huntsville, Williamsburg, and a magnet school New Vision. The middle schools are Bethany Charter (Rockingham County's only charter school), Holmes, Rockingham County, Reidsville, and Western Rockingham. The high schools are Dalton L. McMichael High School, John Motley Morehead High School, Reidsville High School, and Rockingham County High School. There is also the S.C.O.R.E. Center. There are currently 10 School Board Members with one other board member seat being vacant currently . Other schools are Rockingham County Early College (for high school students only), and Rockingham Community College, located in Wentworth. Cities and towns *Eden *Madison *Mayodan *Reidsville *Stoneville *Wentworth Unincorporated communities *Ruffin *Monroeton *Bethany See also *National Register of Historic Places listings in Rockingham County, North Carolina References External links *Rockingham County government official website *Rockingham County, North Carolina's North Star *Rockingham County Business & Technology Center *The Shiloh/Rockingham County Airport *WGSR TV47/Reidsville Category:Counties of North Carolina Category:Rockingham County, North Carolina Category:Established in 1785